Nemanja Bjelica - Hype Thread

[60WinTim]

Meh! Just watched the 1st half of Bjelica's semi-final. He entered the game about halfway through the 1st quarter. Vesley was better. I don't see a player who is going to make an impact for the Wolves next year. Payne and/or Bennett better have a great off-season, in addition to adding Towns or Okafor...

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Yeah, it looks like his squad is getting their butts kicked right now! Not sure if watching him play a single half of basketball is enough to draw any firm conclusions, but it's disappointing he didn't look so good.

[bleedspeed]

Who is this draft would you trade Bjelica for straight up?

When think of it that way I would need a lottery pick at minimum.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

Who is this draft would you trade Bjelica for straight up?

When think of it that way I would need a lottery pick at minimum.

I would take anything at or before low 20's keeping in mind NB is older and will cost more than most all first round picks. Given his age I'd be fine dumping him for a low 20 pick (20-25) We have AB and Payne here already with decent investments into both. Maybe NB helps you get an RJ Hunter or Devin Booker or even Vaughn later in the first round thus making K Mart expendable. Maybe it's NB that get us back into the first round instead of both of our second round picks. NB and 36 gets us Tyus and 31 gets us Vaughn. Get the two hometown kids.

[bleedspeed]

I wouldn't trade Martin or NB for RJ Hunter or Booker. I really like the idea of Tyus and Oakfor on this team with LaVine and Wiggins. I think that could be a killer core moving forward.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

I wouldn't trade Martin or NB for RJ Hunter or Booker. I really like the idea of Tyus and Oakfor on this team with LaVine and Wiggins. I think that could be a killer core moving forward.

I'd trade Martin or NB for either of those two in a heartbeat. The offense needs to stay focused on Wiggins which it doesn't with Martin and NB is in a position stacked with similar talent on the team already. And they both will make 6 and 5 million a piece versus the 1+ million Hunter or Booker would be making.

NB posted worse stats in Europe than Mirotic and Mirotic struggled for most of his rookie year. He may bounce back, but do people see a starter in Mirotic because I don't. I think he's like Ryan Anderson. A nice bench piece, but not much more than that. We can't keep paying tweener starter/bench pieces 4-5 million because it ties up cap space with guys who are support pieces while we still need core pieces. I'd rather pay my bench players 1-2 million to do a few things well than pay them 5 and hope they can become a starter.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

khans, I'm very certain that you've argued that signing KG for $5M+ a year isn't a big deal because we're a rebuilding team and there's no one available that would be better. So, arguing money here goes against what you've said previously. Martin at $6.5M is a steal in today's NBA. Bjelica may not be a proven NBA guy, but he did just win Euro MVP and looks to be much better than Payne and Bennett.

As for projecting Mirotic (or NB), I could see him being a starter. He's got a good skill-set and works hard on defense. He's currently in a bad spot to prove that, however.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

khans, I'm very certain that you've argued that signing KG for $5M+ a year isn't a big deal because we're a rebuilding team and there's no one available that would be better. So, arguing money here goes against what you've said previously. Martin at $6.5M is a steal in today's NBA. Bjelica may not be a proven NBA guy, but he did just win Euro MVP and looks to be much better than Payne and Bennett.

As for projecting Mirotic (or NB), I could see him being a starter. He's got a good skill-set and works hard on defense. He's currently in a bad spot to prove that, however.

KG still gives you 20 good minutes when he plays and the team plays better with him on the court. NB is a complete unknown at the NBA level. It is way different to pay 5 million for a known commodity than an unknown like NB. We could be lighting 5 million dollars on fire for 3 years for all we know with NB. And that's where you'll argue we are doing that with Bennett, but Bennett can be an expiring this year and Bjelica would be in year 1 of a likely 3-4 year deal. I typically don't believe any rookies contribute much to winning so why pay 5 million for that lack of impact instead of 1+?

Martin doesn't have to go because of cost, but because of fit and why not save yourself some money when you dump him? When he plays with Wiggins, Wiggins disappears because Martin takes a lot of shots and the offense focuses on him. Wiggins' growth came from being a feature of the offense. Martin isn't a veteran who plays within the team, he plays to get his 20 a game and because he is still relatively efficient he'll keep being allowed to do that. He took the most shots per game of his career last year. He's also the main block of Lavine playing the position he should play with the players he should play with. Given that he is also a short term guy I am fine clearing him out for younger players.

[Coolbreeze44]

khans, I'm very certain that you've argued that signing KG for $5M+ a year isn't a big deal because we're a rebuilding team and there's no one available that would be better. So, arguing money here goes against what you've said previously. Martin at $6.5M is a steal in today's NBA. Bjelica may not be a proven NBA guy, but he did just win Euro MVP and looks to be much better than Payne and Bennett.

As for projecting Mirotic (or NB), I could see him being a starter. He's got a good skill-set and works hard on defense. He's currently in a bad spot to prove that, however.

KG still gives you 20 good minutes when he plays and the team plays better with him on the court. NB is a complete unknown at the NBA level. It is way different to pay 5 million for a known commodity than an unknown like NB. We could be lighting 5 million dollars on fire for 3 years for all we know with NB. I typically don't believe any rookies contribute much to winning so why pay 5 million for that lack of impact instead of 1+?

Martin doesn't have to go because of cost, but because of fit and why not save yourself some money when you dump him? When he plays with Wiggins, Wiggins disappears because Martin takes a lot of shots and the offense focuses on him. Wiggins' growth came from being a feature of the offense. Martin isn't a veteran who plays within the team, he plays to get his 20 a game and because he is still relatively efficient he'll keep being allowed to do that. He took the most shots per game of his career last year. He's also the main block of Lavine playing the position he should play with the players he should play with. Given that he is also a short term guy I am fine clearing him out for younger players.

Great points on Martin. I feel exactly the same way. Martin is a good player, I just don't like his fit on our team right now.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Nemanja Bjelica tonight vs CSKA in the game for 3rd place: 18pts (6/11 FG, 1/3 3FG, 5/10FT), 10rbs, 3asts, 3stls, 4TOs.